Embedded heat exchanger for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and methods

• US 9,694,452 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Chris Karamanos
• Original Assignee: John Chris Karamanos
• Inventors: Karamanos, John Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidder, Allana Lewin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rehman, Raheena
• Application Number:
  US14/269,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20140325844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 165200, 165287
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/09 Heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/08 substantially surrounding the pipe, cable or protective tubing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0063 by the mounting or arrangement of the heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/26 Refrigerant piping
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/0245 Manufacturing or assembly of air ducts; Methods therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/0272 Modules for easy installation or transport
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/12 transportable
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/36 Modules, e.g. for an easy mounting or transport
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0003 Exclusively-fluid systems
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/02 for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/002 with fastening means for other structures
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0246 Arrangements for connecting header boxes with flow lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A zone-control unit for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the zone-control unit includes a heat exchanger, an inlet piping assembly coupled with the heat exchanger for supplying fluid to the heat exchanger, an outlet piping assembly coupled with the heat exchanger for receiving fluid from the heat exchanger, a bracket that maintains the inlet piping assembly and the outlet piping assembly in positional relationship, and an ancillary component coupled with the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a plurality of portable piping structures for installation in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

providing a first heat exchange coil having a first dimension, a first inlet pipe, and a first outlet pipe, the first inlet and outlet pipes separated by a first distance;

providing a second heat exchange coil having a second dimension, a second inlet pipe, and a second outlet pipe, the second inlet and outlet pipes separated by a second distance;

coupling a first inlet piping assembly and a first outlet piping assembly with the first heat exchange coil to provide a first portable piping structure of the plurality of portable piping structures;

coupling a second inlet piping assembly and a second outlet piping assembly with the second heat exchange coil to provide a second portable piping structure of the plurality of portable piping structures;

coupling a first bracket with the first inlet piping assembly and the first outlet piping assembly, wherein the first bracket provides a known spacing distance between a central longitudinal axis defined by the first inlet piping assembly and a central longitudinal axis defined by the first outlet piping assembly; and

coupling a second bracket with the second inlet piping assembly and the second outlet piping assembly, wherein the second bracket provides the known spacing distance between a central longitudinal axis defined by the second inlet piping assembly and a central longitudinal axis defined by the second outlet piping assembly, wherein the known spacing distance provided by the first bracket is equal to the known spacing distance provided by the second bracket, wherein the first dimension of the first heat exchange coil is different from the second dimension of the second heat exchange coil, and wherein the first distance between the first inlet and outlet pipes is equal to the second distance between the second inlet and outlet pipes.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling a first ancillary component with the first heat exchange coil of the first portable piping structure, and coupling a second ancillary component with the second heat exchange coil of the second portable piping structure.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a first direct digital control (DDC) controller, a first actuator, a first control valve, and a first isolation valve, and wherein the second ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a second direct digital control (DDC) controller, a second actuator, a second control valve, and a second isolation valve.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling a first ancillary component with the first bracket, and coupling a second ancillary component with the second bracket.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a first direct digital control (DDC) controller, a first actuator, a first control valve, and a first isolation valve, and wherein the second ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a second direct digital control (DDC) controller, a second actuator, a second control valve, and a second isolation valve.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling a first ancillary component with the first inlet piping assembly, and coupling a second ancillary component with the second inlet piping assembly.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a first direct digital control (DDC) controller, a first actuator, a first control valve, and a first isolation valve, and wherein the second ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a second direct digital control (DDC) controller, a second actuator, a second control valve, and a second isolation valve.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling a first ancillary component with the first outlet piping assembly, and coupling a second ancillary component with the second outlet piping assembly.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a first direct digital control (DDC) controller, a first actuator, a first control valve, and a first isolation valve, and wherein the second ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a second direct digital control (DDC) controller, a second actuator, a second control valve, and a second isolation valve.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sealing the first inlet piping assembly and the first outlet piping assembly such that the first portable piping structure comprises a first sealed and closed system, and sealing the second inlet piping assembly and the second outlet piping assembly such that the second portable piping structure comprises a second sealed and closed system, such that the first sealed and close system is separate from the second sealed and closed system.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising shipping the first and second sealed and closed portable piping structure systems to a job site.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first specified quality assurance amount of pressure is present within the first sealed and closed system and a second specified quality assurance amount of pressure is present within the second sealed and closed system, wherein the first portable piping structure comprises a first pressure gauge that measures and displays the first specified quality assurance amount of pressure, and wherein the second portable piping structure comprises a second pressure gauge that measures and displays the second specified quality assurance amount of pressure.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling the first and second inlet piping assemblies with a first common inlet piping assembly, and coupling the first and second outlet piping assemblies with a second common outlet piping assembly.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising placing the first coil at least partially within a first casing, placing the second coil at least partially within a second casing, coupling a first direct digital control (DDC) controller to the first casing, and coupling a second direct digital control (DDC) controller to the second casing.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a third heat exchange coil having a third dimension;

providing a fourth heat exchange coil having a fourth dimension;

coupling a third inlet piping assembly and a third outlet piping assembly with the third heat exchange coil to provide a third portable piping structure of the plurality of portable piping structures;

coupling a fourth inlet piping assembly and a fourth outlet piping assembly with the fourth heat exchange coil to provide a fourth portable piping structure of the plurality of portable piping structures;

coupling a third bracket with the third inlet piping assembly and the third outlet piping assembly, wherein the third bracket provides a known spacing distance between a central longitudinal axis defined by the third inlet piping assembly and a central longitudinal axis defined by the third outlet piping assembly; and

coupling a fourth bracket with the fourth inlet piping assembly and the fourth outlet piping assembly, wherein the fourth bracket provides the known spacing distance between a central longitudinal axis defined by the fourth inlet piping assembly and a central longitudinal axis defined by the fourth outlet piping assembly, wherein the known spacing distance provided by the third bracket is equal to the known spacing distance provided by the fourth bracket, and wherein the known spacing distance provided by the third bracket is different from the known spacing distance provided by the first bracket.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchange coil comprises a first heating or cooling coil, and wherein the second heat exchange coil comprises a second heating or cooling coil.